Gene mutations linked to Gehrig's diseaseUnited Press International Share Researchers say newly discovered gene mutations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease, shed light on how ALS leads to paralysis. Researchers searched for gene mutations in two large families with an inherited form of ALS, using a technique to decode only the protein-encoding portions of DNA. The deep sequencing of the exome led to the identification of several different mutations in the gene for profilin which were present only in the family members that developed ALS.More

Now Hiring! Disability Examination ProvidersThe VA Locum Tenens Program seeks physicians and psychologists to perform disability examinations for general medicine and mental health conditions. Physicians will provide compensation and pension examinations for Veterans who file for disability claims. This position requires extensive travel around the country. Compensation package includes salary and full travel. Send your CV to locumtenens@va.gov or contact us at 1-866-664-1030.

Genetic test may reduce repeat biopsy for prostate cancerThe San Diego Union-Tribune Share A surgeon and clinical professor at the UC San Diego School of Medicine, along with a team of researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine, have developed a genetic test to predict a man's risk for prostate cancer. Use of the test could reduce the need for repeat biopsies in men who have had a negative biopsy, said the study which was recently published online in the journal of European Urology.More

Crowdfunding helps identify new gene varient in child with delaysTalking Points Memo Share Crowdfunding, or fundraising over the Web by soliciting a mass of donors, is good for more than just financing pet projects like music albums and iPhone accessories. Just ask the Nieders: The New York family of three have been searching for answers to the cause of 4-year-old daughter Maya's global developmental delays. Thanks to crowdfunding, they may have a clue: Researchers at the Rare Genomics Institute reported a genome sequencing test performed on Maya's DNA and paid for with online donations has uncovered a previously unknown gene variant that could be responsible for Maya's developmental challenges. More

Biotech/Diagnostics/Personalized Medicine

Personalized medicine closer to reality; Study focuses on Parkinson'sMedical Xpress Share A nationwide consortium of scientists at 20 institutions has used stem cells to take a major step toward developing personalized medicine to treat Parkinson's disease. The team of scientists created induced pluripotent stem cells from the skin cells of patients and at-risk individuals carrying genetic mutations implicated in Parkinson's disease, and used those cells to derive neural cells, providing a platform for studying the disease in human cells outside of patients.More

CARDIODX®Your patient's blood doesn't tell you that they will get tired walking the dog. Or that they've had heartburn for the past 2 weeks. But it can tell you whether or not obstructive CAD is what's causing their symptoms. You may not need to go deeper than the blood to know what's happening. MORE

The new science behind America's deadliest diseasesThe Wall Street Journal Share What do heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, stroke and cancer have in common? Scientists have linked each of these to a condition known as chronic inflammation, and they are studying how high-fat foods and excess body weight may increase the risk for fatal disorders. More

Nursing@GeorgetownNursing@Georgetown is a Master’s in Nursing program delivered online by Georgetown University’s renowned School of Nursing & Health Studies.MORE

Patients' skin cells yield research model for Alzheimer'sHealthDay News via U.S. News & World Report Share Aiming for insights into Alzheimer's disease, scientists have developed a new cellular model for research — one that's sourced from the skin cells of patients but genetically reprogrammed to mimic diseased brain cells. The scientists say their approach might draw on the stem cells of people with Alzheimer's disease as a virtually limitless supply of different types of diseased brain cells for laboratory study.More

Cord blood may help stroke, traumatic brain injury and spinal cordScience Blog Share For more than 20 years, doctors have been using cells from blood that remains in the placenta and umbilical cord after childbirth to treat a variety of illnesses, from cancer and immune disorders to blood and metabolic diseases. Now, scientists have found a new way — using a single protein, known as a transcription factor — to convert cord blood cells into neuron-like cells that may prove valuable for the treatment of a wide range of neurological conditions, including stroke, traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury.More

Emerging Medical Technologies

Skin cancer app tracks changes head to toeFuturity Share A free app for iPhone and iPad lets users take photos of their skin and monitor changes over time for signs of melanoma. The app, UMSkinCheck, sends automatic reminders and offers step-by-step instructions for a skin self-exam. It also provides pictures of various types of skin cancers for comparisons.More

New 3-D eye tracking for quadriplegics, seriously disabled patientsMedgadget Share Severely disabled people have few options when choosing practical machine interfaces and eyes are often the only reliably controlled body parts that can be interfaced with. Sufficient tracking of eyes enough to be able to reliably control external devices is not easy and has not been cheap, but researchers at Imperial College London are changing that by employing off-the-shelf components.More

Managed Healthcare News

Health insurance prices for women set to dropKaiser Health News Share More than 90 percent of individual plans charge women higher premiums than men for the same coverage, a practice known as gender rating. Women spend $1 billion more annually on their health insurance premiums than they would if they were men because of gender rating, according to a recent report by the National Women's Law Center. Under the healthcare overhaul, the practice is banned starting in 2014. More

ACOs aim to cut costs, increase qualityCalifornia Health Report Share Across the country, doctors, hospitals and insurers are forming new healthcare entities to increase the efficiency and quality of healthcare and lower the cost of it. Accountable care organizations are gaining ground, even though critics consider them a repackaging of HMOs — some of which have given managed care a bad name. While the idea has many proponents, critics are concerned about the creation of large healthcare groups that could have too much influence over physician decisions.More

FDA: New Treatments and Technology

BPA can't be used in baby bottles and cupsThe New York Times Share The Food and Drug Administration said baby bottles and children's drinking cups could no longer contain bisphenol A, or BPA, an estrogen-mimicking industrial chemical used in some plastic bottles and food packaging.More

FDA approves first pill to help prevent HIVThe Associated Press via Google News Share The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first drug shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection, the latest milestone in the 30-year battle against the virus that causes AIDS. The agency approved Gilead Sciences' pill Truvada as a preventive measure for healthy people who are at high risk of acquiring HIV through sexual activity, such as those who have HIV-infected partners. The decision comes less than two weeks after the agency approved another landmark product: the first over-the-counter HIV test that Americans can use in the privacy of their homes.More

FAST FACTS"The National Toxicity Program has expressed some concern for the effects of BPA on the brain, behavior and prostate gland in fetuses, infants and children at current human exposures."

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